The exhibitor manual is not bedtime reading. It is the price list for mistakes. Read it like a contract—because the surcharges will treat it that way.
Deadlines and advance pricing
Find the order deadlines for material handling, electrical, labor, and furnishings first. Advance rates exist; floor rates exist to fund someone else’s overtime. Missing a date is choosing the expensive column on purpose.
Material handling rules
Note CWT rates, minimums per shipment, advance-warehouse vs. direct-to-show pricing, special-handling definitions, and late/off-target multipliers. Consolidate crates so you do not buy the minimum five times. (See our freight piece for how CWT math and LTL reweighs interact with this section.)
Labor jurisdiction
Who may use power tools? Who may hang signs? What is exhibitor-allowed vs. union-only? “We always do it ourselves” is not a jurisdiction argument. The manual is.
Electrical
Outlet wattages, 24-hour service, island vs. inline placement, and labor minimums for relocated drops. Sketch your power plan to match how the contractor wants to deliver service.
Rigging
Hanging signs need certified points, load data, and often a separate order window. The Exhibitor Advocate survey noted hanging-sign and lift rates moved differently than other categories in 2025—still, never assume last year’s quote.
Targeted move-in
Off-target deliveries get surcharged. Put the target date on the freight BOL and in your carrier instructions, not only in an email thread nobody on the dock will see.
Carpet and cleaning
Flooring and cleaning look small until the footprint grows. The same national survey saw carpet, padding, and visqueen jump sharply in 2025—line-item them early if you are not bringing your own floor.
Print the fee pages. Highlight dates. Assign one owner on your team. We review manuals with clients before crates leave Cincinnati because the cheapest hour of planning still beats the most expensive hour of dock overtime.